Texas Instruments' DAC124S085 device is a full-featured, general-purpose, quad, 12-bit, voltage-output, digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that can operate from a single 2.7 V to 5.5 V supply and consumes 1.1 mW at 3 V and 2.4 mW at 5 V. The DAC124S085 is packaged in 10-pin WSON and VSSOP packages.

The 10-pin SON package makes the DAC124S085 the smallest quad DAC in its class. The on-chip output amplifier allows rail-to-rail output swing and the three-wire serial interface operates at clock rates up to 40 MHz over the entire supply voltage range. Competitive devices are limited to 25 MHz clock rates at supply voltages in the 2.7 V to 3.6 V range. The serial interface is compatible with standard SPI, QSPI, MICROWIRE, and DSP interfaces.

The reference for the DAC124S085 serves all four channels and can vary in voltage between 1 V and V_A, providing the widest possible output dynamic range. The DAC124S085 has a 16-bit input shift register that controls the outputs to be updated, the mode of operation, the power-down condition, and the binary input data. All four outputs can be updated simultaneously or individually depending on the setting of the two mode of operation bits.

A power-on reset circuit ensures that the DAC output powers up to zero volts and remains there until there is a valid write to the device. A power-down feature reduces power consumption to less than a microwatt with three different termination options.

The low power consumption and small packages of the DAC124S085 make it an excellent choice for use in battery-operated equipment.

The DAC124S085 is one of a family of pin-compatible DACs, including the 8-bit DAC084S085 and the 10-bit DAC104S085. The DAC124S085 operates over the extended industrial temperature range of -40°C to +105°C.